Pam Padgett ... teacher
When Hezekiah began to reign over Judah, he immediately started having
the house of the Lord repaired and cleansed, as well as having the
Levites sanctify themselves, so they could carry out the service
ordained by God for them.
2 Chronicles 29:1Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done. 3 He in the first year of his reign, in the first
month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them. 4
And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them
together into the east street, 5 And said unto them, Hear me, ye
Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God
of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place. 6
For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the
eyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away
their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and turned their backs. 7
Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps,
and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy
place unto the God of Israel. 8 Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon
Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered them to trouble, to
astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes. 9 For, lo, our
fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our
wives are in captivity for this. 10 Now it is in mine heart to make a
covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn
away from us. 11 My sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen
you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto
him, and burn incense.
When the work was completed, Hezekiah went with the rulers of the city to the house of the Lord with sacrifices ...
2 Chronicles 29:20 Then
Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and
went up to the house of the LORD. 21 And they brought seven bullocks,
and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin offering
for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded
the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the LORD.
Hezekiah saw that all was done in proper order as the burnt offering was offered and everyone worshipped ...
2 Chronicles 29:25 And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD
with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the
commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the
prophet: for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets. 26 And
the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with
the trumpets. 27 And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon
the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD
began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David
king of Israel. 28 And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers
sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the
burnt offering was finished. 29 And when they had made an end of
offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves,
and worshipped.
Hezekiah then told the congregation to bring sacrifices and thank
offerings, and the service of the house of the Lord was set in order...
2 Chronicles 29:31 Then Hezekiah answered and said,
Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring
sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD. And the
congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as
were of a free heart burnt offerings. 32 And the number of the burnt
offerings, which the congregation brought, was threescore and ten
bullocks, an hundred rams, and two hundred lambs: all these were for a
burnt offering to the LORD. 33 And the consecrated things were six
hundred oxen and three thousand sheep. 34 But the priests were too few,
so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their
brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until
the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more
upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests. 35 And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the
peace offerings, and the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So
the service of the house of the LORD was set in order.
Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced in God, for God had prepared the
people. The hearts of the people were prepared to worship and serve the Lord, and
they willingly brought an abundance of offerings. They were prepared to do all in proper order before God. Even though this was done suddenly, God
had prepared His people...
2 Chronicles 29:36 And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly.